Halladay pitches 6-hitter, Blue Jays beat Red Sox

[July 20, 2009]  TORONTO (AP) -- If this was Roy Halladay's final start for the Blue Jays, he made it a good one.

Halladay pitched a six-hitter to win for the first time since June 7 and Rod Barajas drove in three runs, leading Toronto past the Boston Red Sox 3-1 on Sunday.

Halladay (11-3) could be the biggest prize available before the July 31 trade deadline. Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said this month he would field offers for the 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner, who is signed through 2010.

Pitching at home for the first time since Ricciardi's comments, Halladay turned in a vintage performance. He struck out six and walked none, lowering his ERA to 2.73.

Halladay retired his final 11 batters and threw 78 of 104 pitches for strikes in his 44th career complete game and fourth this season. With the fans on their feet, Halladay tipped his cap to the crowd as he headed back to the dugout following the final out.

The right-hander won for the first time in four starts since beating Kansas City on June 7. He improved to 1-2 since coming off the disabled list June 28 after missing two turns with a sore groin.

Lyle Overbay scored twice, Alex Rios had two hits and Toronto took two of three from the AL East leaders to win its first series in six tries. The Blue Jays have won just five of 18 overall.

David Ortiz gave Boston a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the first inning but Barajas put the Blue Jays in front with a two-out, two-run double in the second off left-hander Jon Lester (8-7).

Toronto loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth but Marco Scutaro grounded back to the mound.

Barajas gave the Blue Jays some insurance with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Lester came in 2-0 against Toronto this season and had won five of his past six decisions. But he lost for the first time since June 18, allowing three runs and five hits in seven innings. He walked a season-high four and struck out six.

NOTES: OF Jacoby Ellsbury returned to Boston's lineup after missing two games with an illness. Toronto OF Vernon Wells (illness) missed his third straight game. ... Red Sox RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka, out since June 21 with a strained shoulder, will be in Boston later this week to see team doctors. Matsuzaka is rehabbing in Florida, where he is throwing up to 120 feet on flat ground. ... Toronto had not won a series since taking two of three from Cincinnati from June 23-25.

[Associated Press]

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